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PATA forms key partnership to identify CSR best practice

(Forimmediaterelease.net) PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, is seeking examples of industry best practice in corporate social responsibility (CSR) for a new guide to be published in 2009.

The association has teamed up with sustainable development experts SNV and GTZ to identify, research, and then promote CSR best practice across the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry.

“We're looking for case studies from the accommodation and tour operator sectors of travel and tourism, as well as key recommendations on CSR business practices based on proven success stories," said Oliver Martin, associate director at PATA's Strategic Intelligence Centre in Bangkok.

“We believe that PATA members and the wider travel and tourism community across the region will benefit from reading this new guide. It's clear that our industry is hungry for more information about how CSR best practice can best be adopted in a practical and meaningful way. This new guide is designed to satisfy their appetite," he said.

Specialist tourism industry consultancy company Mas Contour has been contracted to undertake the key research. The consultancy will collate the CSR case studies and recommendations for the PATA/SNV/GTZ partnership to evaluate and then publish.

Oliver Martin stated: “The key objective of the guide is to provide the tourism industry with practical case studies to increase the level of understanding about how they can, potentially, collaborate and adopt similar CSR practices within their own respective companies and organizations.

“More companies are embracing CSR, but we know that much more still needs to be done. There is a direct correlation between implementing CSR policies and improving corporate reputation, increasing employee moral, and driving down business costs.

Our guide will, we hope, act as a catalyst and an authoritative reference for the industry."